This chili recipe is under constant revision and modification, and the version I am currently using has changed a bit from what I sent Andrew some years ago. This is how I’m making it these days.
Serves 2 with lots of leftovers (which is a good thing) or 6-8 to polish off a batch all at once.
Cook Time:
- 30-45 Minutes Prep
- 4-8 Hours Cook
- Overnight or 24 Hours Aging
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs Ground Meat (I like to use 85/15% ground beef, or a venison-beef mix)
- 2 Yellow Onions, Large, Diced
- 2 Cans Tomato Sauce, 15 oz
- 1 Can Crushed Tomatoes, 15 oz
- 1 Can Rotel
- 8oz Cheap Beer (I prefer Fosters Ale for this, in the green can, but Dos Equis also works)
- 1-3 Chipotle Chilies, canned, chopped finely
- 2-3 Jalapeno Chilies, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped (see procedure below)
- 2 Poblano Chilies, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped (see procedure below)
- 1 Tbsp Brown Sugar or 1 Tsp Molasses
- 2 Tsp Salt
- 2-3 Tbsp Chili Powder (I use a blend of 2 parts Ancho, 1 part Jalapeno and 1 part Chipotle chili powders)
- 2 Tbsp Cumin
- 3 bay leaves
- Oregano, thyme and ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 Tsp Cayenne Powder (optional, for heat)
- Dried red chilies to taste (optional, for heat)
- Hot sauce (optional, for heat)
I strongly recommend trying this at least once without any of the “optional, for heat” ingredients so you get a baseline. The fresh roasted chilies can sometimes add a lot of heat on their own, although I’ve found that most of it actually comes from the chipotle chili powder.
Chili Pepper Roasting Procedure:
You can roast them in your broiler, or on a grill.
For the broiler:
Move your top oven rack to near the top of the oven, maybe the 2nd slot down, if it is an electric oven. Do whatever you’re supposed to do to get the rack close to the heat if you have a gas oven–I don’t know how that works. Fire up the broiler on high.
Wash and dry your chilies and snip off the stems. Place them on a foil-lined cookie sheet and spray them down generously, on both sides, with Pam or whatever spray you like to use. Place them under the broiler and don’t get distracted. Trust your nose first and eyes second to tell you when they need to be flipped over–they should be blackened and blistered thoroughly but not burned.
For the grill:
Get the grill as hot as you can. Wash and dry your chilies and snip off the stems. Put them in a big Zip-Loc bag with a drizzle of vegetable or canola oil, shake to coat them evenly, then remove from the bag. When the grill is hot, place the chilies directly on the grate. Stay close and check often as you roast them until they are blackened and blistered on both sides, turning as necessary.
To finish, for either method:
After the chilies are roasted, put them in a paper bag and roll it up tightly. Be careful what you put it on, as oil may soak through the bottom, but put it somewhere for 5 minutes or so. The steam will separate the skins and make them easier to peel. Take the chilies out of the bag, put them on a cutting board, and with a very thin and sharp knife, cut off the tops, trying to get as much of the internal membrane and seeds out as you can. Slit the chilies down one side to flatten them out, and peel off the skins. Scrape off the seeds and membranes from the other side and cut them into thin strips or squares. Set aside for adding to the chili.
Directions:
You can do this a couple of different ways, but my preference is to cook the onions and meat in a skillet and use the crock pot for the chili. You could also use a Dutch oven for everything.
Loosely chop the onion and caramelize in a skillet or cast iron pan, or if you prefer, simply sautee over medium heat until onions turn translucent. Bacon fat is good for this but a little butter works too. Put them in the chili pot.
Brown the meat in the same pan and drain the fat. Add that to the chili pot too. If you are using a Dutch oven for everything, go ahead and brown the meat and cook the onion at the same time so you don’t have to separate them out and dirty up extra dishes.
Add the other ingredients to the meat and onions in this order:
- Roasted chilies
- Chipotle chilies
- Crushed tomatoes
- Rotel
- 1 can tomato sauce (reserve other can)
- Beer
- Brown sugar and spices
- Add remaining tomato sauce as necessary, to achieve desired thickness
- Add “optional, for heat” ingredients to taste, to achieve desired spiciness
Cook for 4-8 hours, covered, stirring occasionally. It tastes fine right off the stove, but if you can age it overnight or for a day, it tastes better and the spiciness mellows a bit. We like to have ours with cheese quesadillas or corn bread. Grated cheddar and sour cream make good toppings, especially if it’s a little too hot for someone.